Stateside

Voters in November will decide the fate of Michigan’s state-imposed remedy for most struggling cities—Public Act 4, also known as the Emergency Manager Law.

Voting “yes” on the referendum keeps PA4. Voting “no” will repeal it. If that happens, the state says it will revert back to the older PA 72, the Emergency FINANCIAL Manager law. The state is currently operating under that law because Public Act Four is suspended until after voters go the polls.

Currently, seven Michigan cities and school districts are run by state-appointed managers.

Since 2009, readers from across the country have been making their way to downtown Traverse City for an opportunity to get to know some of the most celebrated authors and story-tellers of our time.

Now heading into its fourth year, the Traverse City National Writers Series, founded by Traverse City native Doug Stanton, has nearly doubled the amount of authors featured, according to their website.

Detroit has become a poster child for the struggling Rust Belt city, and its struggles affect both Southeast Michigan and the entire state.

This is why the possible mayoral candidacy of Mike Duggan is going to be closely watched.

Duggan—former aide to Wayne County Executive Edward McNamara, former Wayne County prosecutor, and now CEO of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC)—has filed the paperwork needed to set up a campaign committee for a possible run to become the next Mayor of Detroit.

On today's show we talk with Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, Michigan Radio's Tracy Samilton updates on CAW negotiations. We talk with University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman about her upcoming trip to Brazil. We get an update on Michigan wines and the Detroit Film Festival. We talk with Rick Devos about ArtPrize. We visit Ypsilanti and tour "Pianos around Town.

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman and several researchers will travel to Brazil this coming Saturday for a very busy week of meetings and working sessions.

The U-M group hopes the visit will strengthen relationships with several leading universities and foundations. Coleman previously led U-M faculty to China, Ghana and South Africa.

Coleman said this trip presents a wonderful opportunity to listen to colleagues in Brazil. She hopes to provide new opportunities for collaboration and attract more Brazilian students to the University of Michigan.

It's the fourth time round for the huge art exhibition and contest. This year, more than 1,500 artists are competing for $560,000 in prize money. And it's all there--from art that inspires to art that could outrage--and it does get folks talking.

Cyndy spoke with ArtPrize founder Rick DeVos.

She wanted to know how ArtPrize differs from shows like the Ann Arbor Art Fairs?

The main difference, he said, was that it’s not specifically a marketplace.

That's the motto of Pianos 'Round Town, an event beginning today through Oct. 9th in Ypsilanti. Pianos are set outside in the open for the public to enjoy. Anyone at anytime can sit down and play.

Korin Hancherlian-Amos, the founder of Pianos 'Round Town, got the idea from British artist Luke Jerram. Jerram began the project, Play Me I'm Yours, in 2008 in London, which has since grown to cities all around the world.

In 2010, Hancherlian-Amos called her long-time friend, Tim Hoy, owner of Steinway Piano Gallery in Detroit. Hoy agreed to lend the pianos for the event, making Pianos 'Round Town possible.

New poverty numbers are out. We'll check in to see what they mean for Michigan.

We'll also look at revitalizing some Lansing neighborhoods with art, and we'll check in with the group Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors or MI-C.OP.S., Diane Philpot reaches out to support the families of fallen officers.

Also today we'll talk to the organizers of the Tour de Troit, talk Asian carp with the Environment Report's Rebecca Williams, and the home of Motown music gets a huge helping hand from Sir Paul McCartney.

West Bloomfield Township this week lost a police officer in the line of duty—a tragic "first" for the community.

39-year-old Officer Patrick O'Rourke was responding to a "shots fired" call at a home in West Bloomfield. His partner says they thought they were coming to help a family in distress with a possible suicide. Instead, a blast of bullets through a bedroom door killed Officer O'Rourke.

He leaves behind his wife Amy and four small children. His funeral will be held tomorrow morning.

Diane Philpot knows the agony of losing a first responder in the line of duty.

They've become YouTube stars: big fat Asian carp leaping into boats and sometimes breaking bones as they come flailing into the boat of some poor person who just wanted to enjoy some time on the water.

That's basically the goal of Tour de Troit, an event happening this Saturday. That's when thousands of cyclists will take over the streets of Detroit and discover the pleasures of big-city biking during a thirty-mile ride.

Bill Lusa is the director of Tour de Troit.

Cyndy talked to Lusa about what's happening this Saturday?

This year the streets are completely closed to automobile traffic throughout the route, giving participants the opportunity to ride streets freely with other bicyclists Lusa said.

Ryan Wert is a young entrepreneur who’s been living in REO Town for the past 8 years. REO Town is a neighborhood on Lansing’s south side that used to be home to the R-E-O Motor Company. This was a vibrant working class neighborhood, but now the main street is pretty vacant except for a few new office buildings.

The Governor is just back from the Republican National Convention and told Cyndy that he thinks Michigan could go for Republican Mitt Romney in November.

“There are good chances and I told that to their [the Romney] campaign,” Snyder said.

He noted the major sweep for Republicans – both statewide and nationally – in 2010 as an example of the GOP making headways in the state.

Snyder also says he doesn’t plan to say negative things about President Obama during the presidential campaign.

“Public service is a major challenge on anyone,” Snyder said. “We need to partner with the federal government and local government and we want to work in a positive, constructive way. I don’t believe in doing negative activities,and I stick to the positive side of things.”

The War of 1812 was when Great Britain and the new United States of America slugged it out over trade, over the British habit of grabbing American ships and sailors and forcing them to serve King George (yes, THAT same King George we beat in the Revolutionary War!!)

The War of 1812 Bicentennial and Navy Week are being celebrated this week with events happening from downtown Detroit to Lake St Clair.

Michigan Radio is launching a new talk show called,Statesidetoday. It will air Thursdays from 3-4pm. Morning Edition host Christina Shockley sat down with Stateside host Cynthia Canty to talk about the new show.

Good morning and a very happy Thursday to you! We’re just about six hours away from the premiere of Stateside and we couldn’t be more excited. We were busy yesterday in Michigan Radio’s Studio East (check out the slideshow) preparing for the show and we’ve got a busy morning ahead of us. Tune in this afternoon at 3 o’clock to hear Cyndy speaking with Governor Snyder, author and columnist Mitch Albom, and Michigan Radio’s very own Lester Graham who is covering the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina. Have a great morning!

Michigan Radio is thrilled to welcome Detroit radio personality and Emmy Award winning news anchor Cynthia Canty to host a new local talk show. “Stateside with Cynthia Canty” will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 6. The show will feature a mix of interviews, features and listener call-in segments.

A lifelong resident of metro Detroit, Canty brings perspective to the project from 32 years of experience in Detroit radio and television. She has served as a popular radio host, television news anchor, producer, and as a general assignment, medical, and consumer reporter.

“For me, the magic of broadcast journalism has always been discovering stories to share with the audience,” said Canty. “Whether it is learning about peoples’ struggles and victories, interviewing notables in politics, business, the arts, health and science, or lighter fare such as sampling life on a local ostrich farm, I’ve loved covering the rich stories of Michigan over the years. I am excited beyond words to join the Michigan Radio team in creating Stateside to share these stories in the thoughtful, in-depth style of public radio.”